Princess Augusta of Cambridge, Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (1822-1916)

[Marc23]

I haven't found any thread about her,so I decided to make one...she was very interesting personality and was one of the longest-lived British Princesses(after Alice of Athlone)...she was very close to her niece Queen Mary and was being quite shrewd and intelligent...

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

One of my most favorite people of the "Old Royal Family"... she was quite the character & never curbed her tongue on any situation... She was a British Princess in every since of the word!
But underneath what sometimes came across as "coarse", she was had a really sentimental side.

 

[Marc23]

Yes,very true...one can see her other side by her relation to her "sinner" grand-daughter Duchess Marie...Parents didn't want to hear about her and her "strict" grandmother Augusta stood by her side no matter what...

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Yes,very true...one can see her other side by her relation to her "sinner" grand-daughter Duchess Marie...Parents didn't want to hear about her and her "strict" grandmother Augusta stood by her side no matter what...

Yes she did! And at this time, that showed great strength of character!
But HRH was also known for her rather spiteful wit.... making some rather comical, if not sharp, comments about Queen Maud of Norway's coronation & Princess Ena of Battenberg's engagement.... and even Queen Victoria herself!

 

[Marc23]

.... and even Queen Victoria herself!

Could you remind me what was that?Is it something when Queen Victoria was going out to the crowd by carriage or...?

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

The Grand Duchess was suppose to have comment, on Queen Victoria's remaining seated in her carriage outside St Paul's for her Diamond Jubilee Service... "Why is she thanking God in the street?"

The Pope-Hennessy book on Queen Mary is full of good "Aunt Augusta-isms"

 

[Zonk]

Yes...Aunt August was quite the character. Her quote about Maud and Olav becoming the monarch of Norway...she thought it was quite odd. Like Norway was in the middle of nowhere. What did she refer to it...something like a no man's land.

She was a definite favorite of Queen Mary and brought great comfort when the Queens mother, the Duchess of Teck passed. Didn't she (with the other members of the German royal families) keep in touch thru Margaret of Sweden during WWI?

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Zonk... "Aunt Augusta" was very put out with Princess May b/c she attended the Coronation of Maud and Charles in Norway..... she felt that a future Queen of England shouldn't be attending a coronation as a result of a revolution!
She also thought that Princess Ena of Battenburg was a poor choice of a bride for Alphonso XIII....

One of my personal favorites of the 'Old Royal Family'.....

And I think they all corresponded via Margaret during WWI. Queen Mary was devastated that she was not able to attend Aunt Augusta's funeral... Her 1st cousin, the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, told Queen Mary that his mother died with "the name 'May' on her lips"

 

[Marc23]

The two of them had so much feelings for each other...She and her husband were the sponsors of Princess May von Teck before her marriage...and according to some article in NY times,Mecklenburg-Strelitz Grand Ducal family were the richest one in German Empire after Kaiser Wilhelm II...

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Princess Augusta of Cambridge married her first cousin, the then Hereditary Grand Duke Frederick William, in 1843. Their mothers were sisters...
And yes, from what I have read as well, the Grand Ducal family of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was very, very wealthy.

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Fritz and Augusta were also 2nd cousin via the Mecklenburg-Strelitz family. Fritz's grandfather, Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Augusta's grandmother, Queen Charlotte of Great Britain (nee' of Mecklenburg-Strelitz) were brother and sister.

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

Fritz and Augusta were also 2nd cousin via the Mecklenburg-Strelitz family. Fritz's grandfather, Charles II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Augusta's grandmother, Queen Charlotte of Great Britain (nee' of Mecklenburg-Strelitz) were brother and sister.

Ouch, it is this sort of entangled family history which makes my head hurt when I try to sort it out in my mind

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Ouch, it is this sort of entangled family history which makes my head hurt when I try to sort it out in my mind

You and me both! But it's so common and so interesting..... and with Augusta's personality, I don't think she would have been entertained the idea of NOT marrying someone "of her own blood"... as she was very proud of her heritage and her status as an HRH.. and she was first and foremost a British Princess!

 

[Tiggles1]

Did her son by any chance have an illegitimate child? How would one find out about this?

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Her granddaughter had an illegitimate child, I'm not sure about her son.

 

[Katrianna]

I believe that Augusta was the only person in the family who supported her granddaughter and she was a very strong and vocal supporter.

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Correct, Queen Mary was also very supportive of her cousin and of her Aunt Augusta during this difficult time for her aunt.

 

[highgrove]

I am pleased to see some discussion on "Aunt Augusta" as find her an interesting character and try to read and collect all I can on her. My interest in Augusta developed after reading Matriarch years ago. I try to purchase all postcards and photos of her that I can and even have an invitation to her wedding.

Has a biography of her ever been written? I have read bios of her sister Mary and brother George, but never learned of any bio of her.

 

[Marc23]

I always wanted to know is there any portrait of her apart from those few recently added miniatures from royal collection?

It seems that it is most hard to find anything about her..she is the least known(IMO most interesting) 19th century member of British royal family!

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Highgrove & Marc23 - I could not agree more. Hands down Augusta is the most interesting member of the "old" British Royal Family... followed, IMO, closely by her sister, Mary Adelaide.
I try to gather up all I can on her as well - I've run across a few pictures and was recently sent, my a friend, an email containing a portrait of her done around or shortly after the time of her wedding.... but not sure how to post it here nor do I have documented proof that it's her - sure looks like her.

 

[Marc23]

For Carolina:Create a photobucket account,upload a picture from your computer,than copy the fourth row below the picture and paste it here in free space where you write your messages

If it sounds complicated,you can e-mail me and I will post in your name...anyway,I wish you have luck

I share your opinion about Augusta and want to know and see much more of her as possible...

This is the picture of Augusta's summer residence near Dresden,Kepp Schloss...she was very close to Queen Carola of Saxony!

http://www.arbonia.de/res/Media/arb...ssen.jpg34_KeppSchlossDD_aussen.jpg163697.jpg

 

[highgrove]

I have a CDV that I understand to be a portrait of August in her wedding dress. In addition to several postcards, I have a photo that is larger than a standard cabinet card photo of her her later in life and in very fancy dress. Most postcards and photos I have show her in black or dark colors. Is there a photo area on the site? I am a newbie and have not taken time to explore all the features. But it would be fun so share images if easy to do.

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

I'd love to see the ones of her in very fancy dress!!!

 

[highgrove]

"Aunt Augusta" Photo

I am trying to attach a scan of a photo I have of "Aunt Augusta." The dress looks similar to one she wore to Queen Victoria's Jubilee, but not sure where this was taken as no info on photo.

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Thank you for posting!! What a great picture, I have not seen this one.

 

[Marc23]

Very rare picture of Augusta...great to see something about her finally

 

[Marc23]

Some pictures of Augusta sent to you by CarolinaLandgrave:

 

[Vasillisos Markos]

She looks very imperious, doesn't she? I can see the same style in Queen Mary.

 

[CarolinaLandgrave]

Thanks for posting for me, Marc23!

You can see so much of Aunt Augusta in Queen Mary....

 

[Marc23]

Very imposing wearing Cambridge and Lovers Knot tiaras...Queen Mary ordered a Lovers Knot replica(as I have read it is not the same tiara) of the same tiara her aunt had-to be made for her...it remained ever since in BRF and last time Diana wore it!